In the development of the external shape of a road vehicle there are normally conducted a series of aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel to verify the effective aerodynamic behaviour of the road vehicle itself. To carry out aerodynamic tests on a prototype of a road vehicle in a wind tunnel a model at a reduced scale of the prototype of the road vehicle is normally used both in order to contain the costs and the complexity linked to the wind tunnel and in order to reduce the costs of production of the prototype of the road vehicle used for the tests. Furthermore, on account of inevitable technological limits, some measurements in a wind tunnel are more precise when they are performed using a model at a reduced scale of the prototype of the road vehicle.
In the case of an automobile, very frequently a model in scale 1:2 is used, in so far as this ratio of reduction enables an excellent balance to be obtained between the needs of containing the costs and the need for precision and reliability of the measurements. A critical component of a model in scale 1:2 of an automobile for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel is represented by the tyres, in so far as, whereas all the other parts of the model are static and undeformable in use, the tyres of the model must turn at a variable speed directly proportional to the speed of the wind and at the same time must deform underneath in the area of contact with the road surface reproducing as faithfully as possible the deformations of a real tyre.
Currently, a model in scale 1:2 of a tyre for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel is provided with constructional modalities that are altogether similar to the constructional modalities of a real tyre, and hence the model in scale 1:2 of a tyre must be mounted on a rim, must be inflated and is made up of by a series of combined materials that are different from one another: one type of rubber for the tread, another type of rubber for the carcass, the metal wires for the plies, the metal for the bead wires, the metal wires for the bead, etc.
However, the construction of a model in scale 1:2 of a tyre for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel according to the modalities described above is extremely complex and costly, in so far as it requires complicated simulations and sizing operations to be carried out in order to obtain a model that will have at a reduced scale a behaviour similar to that of a real tyre. Consequently, the construction of a realistic and accurate model in scale 1:2 of a tyre for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel is reserved only to the design of a limited number of competition cars with high technological content (for example, Formula-1 cars). In addition, also in said cases of competition cars with high technological content it is normally possible to prepare just a small number of models in scale 1:2 of tyres, and hence it is not possible to have for each type of tyre that can potentially be used in a race a corresponding model in scale 1:2.